Simply Increase Your WiFi Strength With a Repeater

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You use the WiFi network to connect to the Internet but you have trouble receiving the signal in some areas of your home? To increase the range of your wireless network, you can use a second router in repeater mode.

By placing this second router configured in repeater mode wireless (WiFi or client) at the boundary of the wireless network of your box so you can create an extension in the form of a second wireless network.

Your computer could not connect to the wireless network of your box and can connect to the network's wireless router, which is connected to the wireless network of your box, which is connected to the Internet.

The necessary equipment:

In terms of hardware, several points are important. Please consult your documentation to verify them. Your Internet box (Livebox, Freebox, SFRbox, Neufbox, ...) must be properly configured and should allow you to access the Internet. We will assume that the IP address of your router is 192.168.1.1, which is usually the case.

• The WiFi connection on your box must be checked.
  
• In the interface of the box, note the SSID of the wireless network.
  
• Note the channel number used.
  
• Note the chosen type of encryption (WEP, WPA, WPA2) and the method used (TKIP, AES, ...)
  
• Note the WEP or WPA you have chosen.

A second wireless router is required to add a new area with a WiFi connection. This router is also connected to your WiFi box to gain access to the Internet.

Router Linksys WRT54GL is the ideal solution. Cost fifty euros , you can easily turn into repeater by updating its firmware with a free version and much more functional (in this case, the firmware DD-WRT). Note that the CD you provided is useless. Do not install it.

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Download DD-WRT firmware:

Firmware DD-WRT will let you turn the router WRT54GL router in competition that you can configure WDS to extend the area with a WiFi connection.
Visit dd-wrt website, enter the name of your way, here the WRT54GL.

• Click on the model proposed.
  
• Leave the firmware version the default and click the Build Mini-firmware required for initial flash via WEB.
  
• Download the file and save it on your USB stick for example.

Flashing the router with DD-WRT:
Flashing the firmware of WRT54GL does not have a problem and goes through the configuration interface of the router. Please do not unplug the router during the operation.

• Electrically connect your router and start by doing a hard reset. Press for this for 30 seconds on the reset button on the router and release the button.
  
• Using the supplied Ethernet cable, connect the router (using ports numbered 1 to 4 at the rear of the router) to your computer (taking the place of your cable box) for example.
  
• Click the right mouse button on the Network icon in the taskbar and click Open Network and Sharing Center.
  
• In the left column of the window that opens, click Change settings of the card.
  
• Click the right mouse button on the network connection Local Area Connection and click Properties.
  
• Double click on the item Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
  
• Select Use the following IP address, set the IP address 192.168.1.7 and subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. Leave fields empty DNS servers. Confirm.
  
• Then open your web browser and go to the address http://192.168.1.1 and press Enter to validate.
  
• An authentication window opens. Leave the username blank and enter the admin password. Confirm.
  
• In the router's configuration interface, click Administration and then click Firmware Upgrade.
  
• Click the Browse button.
  
• Select the file from the DD-WRT firmware previously downloaded and click Open.
  
• Click the Upgrade button and wait a few minutes. Especially not interrupt the update process.
  
• Click Continue once the update completes.
  
• Then do a hard reset. Press for this for 30 seconds on the reset button on the router and release the button.

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Configuring the DHCP server:

To avoid conflicts with your computer already connected to your box, we will place the WRT54GL on another IP address. The router will distribute IP addresses automatically to computers that connect over the wireless network extended.

• Then open your web browser and go to the address http://192.168.1.1 and press Enter to validate.
  
• The new interface that appears to indicate that the router works with firmware DD-WRT. You will be prompted to specify a username and password. So choose a username (eg admin), a password and confirm it. Validate by Change password.
  
• Click the Setup tab and click Basic Setup.
  
• In the area Router IP address set to 192.168.1.99 Local IP address. Leave the subnet mask (subnet mask) to 255.255.255.0.
  
• In the field Gateway, enter the IP address of your box, 192.168.1.1 in our case.
  
• Descend into the category Network Address Server Settings (DHCP). Attach the Enable DHCP Server.
  
• Fix the Start IP Address field to 192.168.1.100.
  
• In Maximum DHCP Users, type the maximum number of users who can connect simultaneously to your Wi-Fi (between 1 and 155).
  
• In the Static DNS1 field, enter the IP address of your box, 192.168.1.1 in our case.
  
• Connection Type pull down list and select Disabled.
  
• Finally, click Apply Settings. The router will restart.

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Disable the firewall:

The router firewall is enabled by default. You have to deactivate the connection to your box is going smoothly.

• Click the Security tab and then click Firewall.
  
• Select Disable the SPI Firewall category.
  
• Click Apply Settings.

Configure wireless networks:

You must now configure the router as it can connect to your router by WiFi

• Open the Wireless tab.
  
• Wireless Mode pull down list and select the Repeater.
  
• In the field Wireless Network Name (SSID), enter the name of the wireless network again.
  
• Click the Add button under Virtual Interfaces.
  
• Enter the name of the new wireless network, extension of your first wireless network. Choose the name of your choice.
  
• Click Apply Settings.

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Define network security:

The WiFi network of your box is probably safe, you'll need to specify your security key. You take the opportunity to set the security of the second wireless network.

• Click Wireless Security.
  
• Security Mode pull down list under the heading Physical Interface and select the security method for your wireless network primary (the box), WPA2 example.
  
• Select the encryption algorithm and the key to security of your wireless network.
  
• We will now configure the security of the second wireless network, extending from the first. Then pull down list under the heading Security Mode Virtual Interfaces and select the option WPA2 Personnal.
  
• WPA Algorithms drop down the list and select AES.
  
• Enter a security key to protect the wireless network.
  
• Click Apply Settings.

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Connect to wireless network:

Now that the router is configured, you can place it in your house, so as to extend the range of your WiFi. It must of course be within reach of your box to be able to connect.

• Unplug the router from your computer (you can reconnect it to your box). You can place your router WRT54GL way to extend your wireless network. It must be within reach of your current wifi.
  
  
• You can then connect to new wireless network, an extension of the first wireless network and allows you to access the Internet.
  
  
• On your computer, view the list of wireless networks.
  
  
• Select the second wireless network, pcastuces_repete in our example and click Connect.
  
  
• Enter the passkey you have chosen to protect the second wireless network and click OK.
  
  
• Select Home Network and click OK.
  
  
  
• And voila, you're connected to the second WiFi network (via router WRT54GL), an extension of your first wireless network (via your box) and you have Internet access.